Hello, wonderful English learners! Today, I have a little challenge for you.
Which is correct – “on the weekend” or “at the weekend”?
Not sure? Don’t worry, that’s what we’re here to explore. In this blog, you’ll find clear definitions, helpful example sentences, and even a short video lesson to help guide you too.
What is “the weekend”?
When we speak about “the weekend,” we are referring to the days Saturday and Sunday. Both of those days make “the weekend.”
“ON or “AT” the weekend?
The preposition “on” is preferred in American English, and the preposition “at” is preferred in British English.
Examples:
American English: I like to relax on the weekend by reading a good book.
British English: I like to relax at the weekend by reading a good book.
American English: Let’s go on a picnic on the weekend if the weather is nice.
British English: Let’s go on a picnic at the weekend if the weather is nice.
American English: We usually visit our grandparents’ house on the weekend.
British English: We usually visit our grandparents’ house at the weekend.
American English: I have a dentist appointment on the weekend, so I can’t make any plans.
British English: I have a dentist appointment at the weekend, so I can’t make any plans.
American English: On the weekend, I prefer to cook homemade meals.
British English: At the weekend, I prefer to cook homemade meals.
We can say “on the weekend,” to refer to 1 specific weekend OR weekends in general, but we can also say “on/at weekends” to mean more than one weekend.
1 specific weekend: What are you doing on / at the weekend?
weekends in general: What do you usually do on / at the weekend?
more than 1 weekend: I work on / at weekends.
Here are a few more examples using the plural form “weekends”:
- On/At weekends, we often go hiking in the nearby mountains.
- Miriam works part-time at the local bookstore on/at weekends.
- We enjoy playing board games on/at weekends as a family.
- On/At weekends, the city park is always bustling with people.
- Shiloh and her two daughters attend language classes on/at weekends to improve their conversational skills.
It’s important to note that “in the weekend” is never correct.
What are “weekdays”?
Weekdays refer to the days Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. When we use the word “weekdays,” or when we speak about specific weekdays, we always use “on.”
- Benjamin goes to the gym on weekdays to stay active. at weekdays
- Do you know if the parent-teacher meetings are happening on Tuesday?
at Tuesday - On weekdays, the school bus arrives at 7 a.m.
- On weekdays, Bakin’ Fresh bakery opens at 6 a.m. to serve all the early morning commuters.
- Victoria goes to her piano lessons on Fridays.
- I set my alarm for 7:30 a.m. on weekdays.
- Can you believe my boss is trying to get me to work on Sunday?
Answer these questions to practice:
- What do you normally like to do on/at the weekend?
- On which weekdays do you normally work / study?
Thank you so much for reading this blog today. I hope this mini lesson has given you a clearer understanding of the nuances of this topic (English prepositions can be tricky!). Make sure you keep practicing your English, and I’ll see you next time!
